1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cargo carriers which mount atop motor vehicles such as cars, passenger and utility vans, and over the cargo beds of pick-up trucks and the like; and which are commonly used to carry ladders, snow and water skis, snow boards, luggage, camping gear, pipe, small boats and the like positioned above the vehicle rooftop and exterior of the vehicle. The present invention includes a non-jamming or smooth operating tiltable cargo support platform preferably having an intermediate or non-edgeward rotational axis.
2. Description of the related Prior Art
The majority of in-use prior art rooftop-mount cargo carriers on land motor vehicles are mounted entirely stationary and generally centered from side to side on the exterior roof of the vehicle. Many such prior art stationary cargo carriers utilize the top of the vehicle as the platform upon which the cargo directly rests, and only provide elevated side rails for which to tie the cargo stationary with ropes, elastic cords or the like, while others provide a slightly raised but stationary platform or system of rails on which to rest and secure cargo. The stationary mounting of cargo carriers on vehicle rooftops creates weight limiting, reach and safety problems particularly on taller vehicles such as vans and all-terrain four wheel drive vehicles. Such vertically tall vehicles having stationary cargo carriers mounted atop the roof are extremely difficult to reach to load and unload cargo due to the height of the vehicle. The width of any land motor vehicle, even vertically low vehicles such as small cars, also makes loading cargo atop a stationary rooftop carrier difficult. To load or unload cargo from typical stationary prior art rooftop cargo carriers, particularly when mounted on taller vehicles, the user must generally find a ladder to stand on, or more commonly stand in an open doorway of the vehicle and hold-on to the vehicle or cargo rack with one hand to prevent falling, and load or unload cargo with the one free hand and arm. The one-handed loading procedure is not only somewhat awkward and unsafe due to the risk of slipping and injuring oneself, but has a tendency to limit, by the very nature of using one hand, the amount of weight which can be easily loaded.
Some prior art vehicle rooftop cargo carriers are designed to attempt to solve this xe2x80x9creachxe2x80x9d problem associated with stationary rooftop cargo carriers by way of providing cargo support platforms which move atop lower stationary tracks or platform support bases. Such movable cargo support platforms typically tilt from a normally generally horizontal position downward into a tilted position along side the vehicle after being moved laterally outward relative to the vehicle and platform support base. With these tiltable prior art vehicle cargo carriers, the stationary support base is mounted stationary atop and normally generally centered on the vehicle exterior roof, and the movable cargo support platform slides or rolls relative to the support base, moving typically to one side of the vehicle to clear the vehicle side sufficiently to allow downward tilting of the cargo platform. It should be noted that in some of the prior art sliding cargo platforms, the support base can be positioned so that the platform moves toward the rear side of the vehicle. With some slidable and tiltable cargo carriers, the sliding and tiltable portion must move to the rear of the vehicle in order for the cargo support platform to be long enough to reach the ground, since if the movable cargo support platform were only the width of a vertically high vehicle then the platform would not be long enough to reach the ground unless complicated and more expensive telescopic structuring were provided, as is provided with some prior art structurings of vehicle cargo carriers.
A problem associated with many of these prior art laterally movable and tiltable cargo platforms for vehicles typically exist in the area pertaining to how they tilt after being moved laterally, or in other words, the location of the tilt pivot point (rotational axis) relative to the cargo carrying area of the cargo support platform. Usually the pivot point is located at the extreme upper edge of the cargo support platform on such prior art tilt-down vehicle cargo carriers when the cargo platform is in the fully tilted state. With cargo support platforms which pull outward and then tilt downward on an extreme endwardly positioned tilt or rotational axis, the user can stand in front of or to the side of the downward tilted cargo support platform and normally more easily attach cargo, however, if the cargo is of any significant weight, the user will then have a difficult task in lifting the cargo laden cargo support platform vertically to bring it to a horizontal elevated position prior to pushing the cargo support platform horizontally toward the center of the vehicle where the platform rests in a locked transport position atop the stationary base. This lifting or tilting back to horizontal of a cargo laden and downward tilted cargo support platform can be difficult for the user, depending upon the weight of the cargo and the height of the vehicle. The prior art pull-out and tilt down rooftop cargo carriers require the user to either significantly limit the weight loading on the cargo platform, or require the user to lift a substantial amount of weight. Also, usually, but not in all cases, in the related pullout and tilt prior art cargo carriers, the only stop or restricting means preventing further downward tilting of the cargo support platform is the lower end of the cargo platform resting on either the ground or abutting the side of the vehicle. With modern, lightweight fuel efficient vehicles, the body panels are thin and easily dented, and thus it is not a good idea to rely on the vehicle body panel or window to restrict the downward movement and angle of the cargo support platform, particularly if there is any significant amount of cargo weight upon the cargo support platform. With prior art cargo carriers which utilize the ground as an abutment surface to prevent further downward tilting of the cargo support platform, my experience is that in order for the cargo support platform to reach the ground, more complicated and expensive structuring allowing telescopic extending and retracting of the cargo support platform or support base or components connected thereto is required, and this is particularly true for vans and most four wheel drive vehicles which include a rather vertically high rooftop.
Another problem in prior art vehicle cargo carriers which include a stationary base and laterally movable and tiltable cargo support platform exists in the complexity of the structuring and the number of parts which increases the costs of manufacturing and ultimately the purchase price by consumers. Typically in the related prior art, many freely rotatable wheels are used in order to attempt to provide for jam-free easy rolling of the cargo support platform on the support base. While the use of wheels in such application can be somewhat effective to some degree, such wheels are costly to purchase, labor intensive to mount, subject to being damaged or having their support axles bent, and require periodic oiling and servicing.
Another problem in vehicle cargo carriers which include a stationary base and laterally movable and tiltable cargo support platform exists in the smoothness or ease at which the laterally movable cargo support platform can be manually slid or rolled upon the support base, as lateral racking (misalignment) of the cargo support platform relative to the support base and the resultant jamming (ceasing to move) is a significant potential problem in the prior art based on what I discovered in building and testing many different cargo carriers. Jamming of the cargo support platform while the user is pushing or pulling it laterally is frustrating in the least, often times requiring hard jerking and pushing and pulling to un-jam the cargo support platform, and resulting in the user having to attempt to apply even pulling or pushing pressure to the cargo support platform in precise areas of the cargo support platform in an attempt to prevent such jamming.
Another common problem in the related prior art is in having one support base fit a variety of vehicle makes and models, as it can be appreciated differing makes and models of vehicles differ in width and shape, and it is desirable to not have to provide a different cargo carrier and support base for each slightly varied vehicle.
An example of a typical prior art rooftop cargo carrier which pulls out and tilts downward is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,193,124 issued to R. J. Essling on Jul. 6, 1965. In the Essling patent, it can be seen that the user must lift all of the weight of the cargo support platform plus the weight of the cargo on the platform from a downward tilted angle to a horizontal position in order to then push the cargo support platform horizontally toward the center of the vehicle on the stationary support base. The Essling cargo carrier support platform is quite long, and sufficiently so as to be able to reach downward to the ground absent the use of additional telescopic structuring, and this arrangement not only requires the user to lift the entire weight of the cargo and support platform to horizontal prior to pushing the platform over the center of the vehicle, but it also appears to require that the cargo carrier either be used only on vertically low rooftop vehicles or that it be oriented to be positioned on the vehicle to be drawn outward and off of the back end or back side of the vehicle, and this because vehicles and particularly vans are typically much longer than they are in width, and therefor allow a long and ground contacting cargo support platform when positioned lengthwise parallel to the lengthwise axis of the vehicle.
Another example of a prior art rooftop cargo carrier which pulls out and tilts downward is shown in Netherlands patent 8004228 dated February 1981 and which describes a telescopic tiltable frame which uses abutment with the ground as the tilt-stop for the outwardly drawn and downward tilted cargo support platform. A first portion of the telescopic cargo support frame nearest the ground when tilted is intended to be loaded with cargo and then tilted horizontally followed by being moved over the top of both a second portion of the tiltable frame and a stationary horizontal support frame structure mounted atop of the vehicle, resulting in allowing only the first portion of the tiltable cargo support frame on the downward side of the rotational axis to carry cargo thereon since this first portion telescopically moves over the top of the second portion of the tiltable frame, rendering the second portion of the tiltable frame incapable of carrying cargo.
Another example of a prior art rooftop cargo carrier which pulls out and tilts downward is shown in German patent 3626896 dated 1988 which describes a cargo support trunk mounted laterally slidable and tiltable relative to a stationary support frame mounted atop a vehicle roof. The carrier tubes of the cargo support trunk include telescopic extending supports to extend downward beyond the trunk to rest on the ground to support the adjacent end of the cargo platform and trunk.
Another example of a prior art rooftop cargo carrier which pulls out and tilts downward is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,387 issued May 2, 1989 to M. Audet. The Audet patent describes a stationary support frame mounted atop a vehicle rooftop which in one embodiment includes two cargo carriers which can be individually drawn outward to oppositely disposed lengthwise sides of the vehicle before hinging downward. The pivot point or hinge center is located at the extreme upper edge of the downward tiltable cargo support platform which requires all of the weight of the cargo laden support platform to be lifted by the user in order to bring the cargo support platform up to a generally horizontal position prior to pushing the cargo support platform laterally back over the stationary frame atop the vehicle.
Other related prior art devices of which I am aware and which are believed to be either cumulative of the above described prior art or related but not teaching or suggesting the present invention but should be considered are described in the following documents: 1) U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,103 issued Oct. 3, 1989 to L. Martinsson for Supporting Arrangement For a Mast on a Vehicle. 2) U.S. Pat. No. 3,460,694 issued Aug. 12, 1969 to J. Simms for Car Top Boat Handling Device. 3) U.S. Pat. No. 3,186,569 issued Jun. 1, 1965 to A. Roux for Boat and Luggage Carrier. 4) U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,095 issued Mar. 28, 1975 to E. Wilburn et al for Vehicle Top Article Carrier. 5) U.S. Pat. No. 2,746,628 issued May 22, 1956 to C. Neyra for Ladder Support. 6) U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,314 issued Apr. 7, 1981 to R. Golze for Roof Top Carrier. 7) U.S. Pat. No. 2,840,290 issued Jun. 24, 1958 to J. Roberts for Telescopic Ladders; 8) French patent 2 673 404 dated 1992 for a vehicle cargo rack. 9) U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,327 of 1996 issued to Derecktor. 10) U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,244 of 1968 issued to Falek. 11) U.S. Pat. No. 3,495,729 of 1970 issued to Kruse. 12) U.S. Pat. No. 2,815,252 of 1957 issued to Baker for plastics strips supporting a drawer, but not anticipating any pivoting or pivot caused or related misalignment and resulting damaging shear forces. 13) U.S. Pat. No. 2,318,971 of 1943 issued to Roumage. 14) U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,471 of 1982 issued to Lehman. 15) U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,358 of 1995 issued to Haselgrove. 16) French Patent 2596344 of October 1987. 17) Patent 2118501A of GB dated November 1983. 18) Patent document 406099776A of Japan; February 1984. European Patent document 101054 dated February 1984.
None of the related prior art devices are structured the same of the present invention, and the present invention offers new benefits and advantages in the field.
The present invention provides an improved tiltable cargo carrier for mounting above the rooftop and exterior of a motor vehicle, and which allows easy reach of the cargo supporting area, and allows easier tilting of even heavy loads of cargo back into a horizontal storage position after the cargo has been loaded onto a cargo support platform. The present carrier is an improved pull laterally and then tilt-downward type cargo carrier which includes a generally rectangular movable cargo support platform for supporting cargo thereon, and a stationary support base for supporting the cargo support platform. The cargo support platform can be manually pulled laterally from a stored position and then pivoted downward towards the lengthwise side (or back side depending on the mounted orientation) of the vehicle for allowing full access to the entire cargo support platform by an adult person standing upon the ground, and thus easy and safe cargo loading and unloading is provided.
The support base of the present cargo carrier, depending upon the mounting hardware selected, can be attached to an existing stationary prior art cargo carrier with which many motor vehicles are presently equipped, or affixed directly to the vehicle exterior rooftop or rooftop rain gutter thereof, or elongated vertical posts may be used as components of the support base mounting hardware to allow mounting the carrier to the cargo bed or bed-side top edge of a pick-up truck so that the cargo carrier is significantly elevated above the cargo bed or camper shell and at or above the rooftop in a similar manner to many currently in-use lumber and ladder racks on pick-up trucks, which in any mounted arrangement for the purposes of this disclosure the cargo carrier is mounted atop the motor vehicle exterior.
My cargo support platform in a preferred embodiment includes a front member and an oppositely disposed back member which is in spaced relationship and parallel to the front member; the front and back members are normally positioned parallel to the lengthwise sides of the supporting vehicle when in use atop the vehicle. The cargo support platform additionally includes two transverse guide rails in spaced parallel relationship to one another and connected to the oppositely disposed ends of the front and back members and spanning therebetween, so as to define a generally rigid rectangular cargo support platform, the top side of which may be covered with solid sheeting, expanded metal or left generally open and include tie-down hooks and the like. The tiltable cargo support platform can include ski supporting attachments, bicycle supporting attachments, cargo boxes, ladder supporting attachments and other item support or carriers and tie-down gear such as hooks, eyes, clamps and rope attachments and the like for securing cargo atop the cargo support platform.
The transverse guide rails of the cargo support platform are positioned adjacent supporting main rails of the support base, wherein at least one low friction (slick or smooth or both) plastics strip is positioned therebetween to provide lateral guidance aiding in jamb free operation; the strips of bearing material plastic are positioned to extend into or through the pivot area, being adjacent the pivot axis and always between the interfacing rails, so as to maintain alignment of the cargo support platform and guide rails thereof with the adjacent main rails of the supporting base even when the cargo platform is tilted, thereby with this maintained alignment, shear forces which could otherwise damage or tear off the strip or strips of plastics material is reduced or maintained low when the cargo support platform is pivoted in a scissor-like motion from tilted to a position of relatively horizontal atop the support base, as will become further appreciated with continued reading.
The support base mounted on the vehicle includes two parallel, spaced apart main rails which are sized, shaped and positioned (cooperatively shaped and positioned) to mate with the transverse guide rails of the cargo support platform, and at least one plastics bearing strip mentioned above resides between the mating or interfacing rails. The cargo support platform is movably supported on the stationary lower support base attached to the vehicle which allows the cargo support platform to be manually pulled laterally and then tilted from its normal generally horizontally disposed position atop the vehicle into a vertically disposed or inclined position along the side of the vehicle (or back side of the vehicle depending upon the mounted orientation), a position wherein a first portion of the cargo support platform on one side of the rotational axis is closer to the ground than when the cargo support platform was in the horizontal position, and significantly easier to reach from the ground for loading and unloading of cargo. With the present invention, the rotational or pivot axis about which the cargo support platform tilts or rotates is positioned a significant distance away from the upper edge of the cargo support platform when the cargo support platform has been tilted. When in the tilted position, due to this non-edgewardly positioned rotational axis, a second portion of the cargo support platform on the upper side of the rotational axis is slightly raised compared to when the cargo platform is in the horizontal stored position, but is easily reached due to its position nearer the side of the vehicle.
In a preferred embodiment, a tilt-stop arrangement stops the tilting of the cargo support platform at a desired preset or pre-determined point or tilt-angle along the side of the vehicle prior to the lower edge of the platform impacting or abutting the vehicle. The tilt-stop arrangement is preferably user adjustable to allow adjustment or selection of the stop angle of the platform relative to the support base and side of the vehicle, and this allows angular adjustments (platform tilt-angle adjustments) for differently sized and shaped vehicles to provide clearance. The user adjustable tilt-stop also allows the cargo support platform to stop at a given preset user preference for ease in loading and tilting in general, and for user preferred settings (tilts) which may be specific for certain known shapes, sizes and weight distributed cargo which the user may frequently or always carry, such as a ladder for example.
As previously mentioned, with the present invention, the rotational axis about which the cargo support platform tilts or rotates relative to the support base is positioned a significant distance away from the two oppositely disposed widthwise edges of the cargo support platform when the cargo support platform has been tilted, or in other words the pivot point or axle about which tilting occurs is not at either the edge of the cargo support platform, but rather, is somewhat intermediate between the upper and lower widthwise edges of the tilted cargo support platform to allow the intentional loading or placement of cargo above and below the pivot, i.e., vertically or elevationally above and below the pivot point on the top or outward facing surface of the tilted cargo platform, and this so that the weight of the cargo can be placed on the outward facing surface of the cargo support platform and distributed in a manner which reduces the amount of weight the user needs to manually lift in order to tilt the cargo platform back into a generally horizontal position. Additionally, it should be noted that in most applications (but potentially not all applications), the cargo support platform in its tilted position along side of the vehicle is preferably not positioned perfectly vertically straight up and down, but rather, is at a slight tilt, with the upper side or second portion of the cargo support platform angling inward over the top of the near edge of the vehicle. This slight tilt from perfectly vertical is so that the stationary support base does not need to include portions thereof which extend outward too far beyond the side of the vehicle which might snag clothing or hit someone walking by the vehicle in the head, and thus normally and preferably with the present invention the rotational axis of the tilted cargo support platform is at or inward from the side edge of the vehicle. Additionally, in most applications it is simply easier to place and secure cargo on the cargo support platform when the platform is angled or at an incline and not vertically straight up and down. With the present invention, the rotational axis or point of pivot about which the cargo support platform tilts need not necessarily be physically centered on the cargo support platform, and in most applications the rotational axis is preferably off-centered and nearer the upper widthwise edge of the cargo support platform than the lower widthwise edge of the platform and still herein considered intermediate, and this to bring the height of the entire tilted cargo support platform nearer the ground. For example, with taller vehicles such as tall vans and four wheel drives, the pivot point is preferably shifted away from the physical center and additionally from the center of gravity of the cargo platform, being more toward the upper edge of the cargo support platform and reducing the width of the second portion of the cargo support platform relative to the first portion of the cargo platform in order to keep the entire cargo support platform and particularly the upper or second portion thereof vertically nearer the ground and within reach by a person standing on the ground. Additionally, by keeping the rotational axis above the center of gravity of the cargo support platform wherein the lower or first portion of the platform is heavier than the second portion of the platform above the pivot, the tilted cargo support platform will not freely rotate under its own weight from a tilted position back to a horizontally disposed position. Although the further toward the upper edge of the cargo support platform the rotational axis is positioned the less assistance the cargo weight above the pivot can offer in bringing the platform back into a horizontal position, it is not desirable to have the upper or second portion of the tilted cargo platform so high from the ground one cannot secure cargo in this area. Particularly with taller vehicles, and with a xe2x80x9cfull-widthxe2x80x9d cargo platform thereon (full-width being almost the width of the vehicle), the pivot point is preferably positioned upward from the physical center of the cargo support platform, being shifted a distance from physical center toward the upper widthwise edge of the platform, but still a significant distance away from the upper edge of the tilted cargo support platform so that tilt-back assistance can be gained from properly placed cargo. This upwardly positioned pivot point brings the entire tilted cargo support platform nearer the ground, making the cargo platform more accessible by a person standing on the ground, when compared to a physically centered pivot point on the same size cargo support platform. Since a significant amount of cargo can be secured to the still fairly wide second portion of the tilted cargo support platform above the pivot point, the cargo support platform can be intentionally loaded in such a manner as to give the user xe2x80x9ctilt-assistxe2x80x9d even when as little as about 20% of the full usable width of the cargo support platform is on the upper side of the rotational axis, or in other words even when the second portion only constitutes about 20% of the combined widths of the first and second portions of the cargo support platform. The total width of the cargo support platform is defined by the width of the first portion added to the width of the second portion, the first and second portions being on opposite sides of the rotational axis when the platform is in the tilted position, with the first portion being on the lower side of the rotational axis, and the second portion being on the upper side of the rotational axis, with both the first and second portions being useful for carrying cargo thereon, and therefore a significant amount of cargo carrying surface area is provided on which to place cargo. As mentioned above, a xe2x80x9cfull-widthxe2x80x9d cargo platform is one which is basically or nearly the full cross width of the vehicle rooftop measured from one lengthwise side to the other lengthwise side of the vehicle, and only one cargo platform is used on a support base as will become appreciated with continued reading.
Another structural arrangement in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention allowing easy reach of the upper portion of the tilted cargo support platform and providing tilt-assist, is a xe2x80x9chalf-widthxe2x80x9d cargo platform, as opposed to xe2x80x9cfull-widthxe2x80x9d cargo platform. A half-width cargo platform is a relatively narrow platform measuring the cargo support platform from the front edge adjacent the side of the vehicle toward the center of the vehicle with the platform horizontally disposed. Normally, a half-width cargo support platform is less than half the cross width of the vehicle rooftop. As will be become appreciated, this xe2x80x9chalf-widthxe2x80x9d cargo support platform arrangement can be structured wherein two xe2x80x9chalf-widthxe2x80x9d cargo support platforms are used on a single stationary support base, with a first half-width cargo support platform moveable to one lengthwise side of the vehicle, and a second half-width cargo support platform movable to the oppositely disposed lengthwise side of the vehicle, and thereby easy reach to all areas of each cargo support platform is maintained. Additionally with this arrangement, the first and second half-width cargo support platforms still include a non-edgewardly positioned pivot point (rotational axis) and are thus tilt-assisted back into the horizontal position by properly positioned and secured cargo thereon, and a large overall cargo carrying surface area is still provided when one considers the total combined storage area of both the first and second half-width cargo support platforms on a single vehicle. The half-width cargo support platforms are most desireable on vehicles having vertically high rooftops such as vans, although the structure can be used on lower vehicles, and the full-width cargo platforms are useful on vertically low vehicles but can be used on vertically tall vehicles in some applications.
Another aspect of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is a generally smooth and jam free movement of the cargo support platform in both tilting and sliding movements relative to the support base even when the cargo support platform is carrying substantial weight, with this smooth, jam free movement provided by low friction (slick) vertical load supporting plastic strips serving as interfacing bearing surfaces between the cargo support platform and the support base, and also with lateral guidance plastic bearing strips (as mentioned above) extending into the area of the pivots to maintain lateral alignment between the platform and support base even when the cargo support platform is tilted, thereby reducing shear force when moved to an un-tilted position, the lateral guidance strips also providing lateral and anti-rack guidance during pushing or pulling the cargo support platform when horizontally disposed on the support base.
Another desireable aspect of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is that it can be built with relatively few and uncomplicated parts, and of readily available materials, and therefore it can be manufactured and sold for a relatively low price.
Another desirable aspect of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is that it is not restricted to a particular orientation on the vehicle. The cargo carrier can be positioned so that the cargo support platform draws off one side, both sides with half-width platforms, or the back side of the vehicle.
These, as well as other objects and advantages will become increasingly appreciated with continued reading and with a review of the attached drawings showing preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention.